Publications

OBJECTIVE

To examine the availability of nutritional support services in HIV care and treatment sites across sub-Saharan Africa.

DESIGN

In 2008, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of sites providing antiretroviral therapy (ART) in nine sub-Saharan African countries. Outcomes included availability of: (i) nutritional counselling; (ii) micronutrient supplementation; (iii) treatment for severe malnutrition; and (iv) food rations. Associations with health system indicators were explored using bivariate and multivariate methods.

SETTING

President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief-supported HIV treatment and care sites across nine sub-Saharan African countries.

SUBJECTS

A total of 336 HIV care and treatment sites, serving 467 175 enrolled patients.

RESULTS

Of the sites under study, 303 (90 %) offered some form of nutritional support service. Nutritional counselling, micronutrient supplementation, treatment for severe acute malnutrition and food rations were available at 98 %, 64 %, 36 % and 31 % of sites, respectively. In multivariate analysis, secondary or tertiary care sites were more likely to offer nutritional counselling (adjusted OR (AOR): 2.2, 95 % CI 1.1, 4.5). Rural sites (AOR: 2.3, 95 % CI 1.4, 3.8) had increased odds of micronutrient supplementation availability. Sites providing ART for >2 years had higher odds of availability of treatment for severe malnutrition (AOR: 2.4, 95 % CI 1.4, 4.1). Sites providing ART for >2 years (AOR: 1.6, 95 % CI 1.3, 1.9) and rural sites (AOR: 2.4, 95 % CI 1.4, 4.4) had greater odds of food ration availability.

CONCLUSIONS

Availability of nutritional support services was high in this large sample of HIV care and treatment sites in sub-Saharan Africa. Further efforts are needed to determine the uptake, quality and effectiveness of these services and their impact on patient and programme outcomes.

OBJECTIVE

To characterize cognitive and behavioral features, physical findings, and brain atrophy patterns in pathology-proven corticobasal degeneration (CBD) and corticobasal syndrome (CBS) with known histopathology.

METHODS

We reviewed clinical and magnetic resonance imaging data in all patients evaluated at our center with either an autopsy diagnosis of CBD (n = 18) or clinical CBS at first presentation with known histopathology (n = 40). Atrophy patterns were compared using voxel-based morphometry.

RESULTS

CBD was associated with 4 clinical syndromes: progressive nonfluent aphasia (n = 5), behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (n = 5), executive-motor (n = 7), and posterior cortical atrophy (n = 1). Behavioral or cognitive problems were the initial symptoms in 15 of 18 patients; less than half exhibited early motor findings. Compared to controls, CBD patients showed atrophy in dorsal prefrontal and perirolandic cortex, striatum, and brainstem (p < 0.001 uncorrected). The most common pathologic substrates for clinical CBS were CBD (35%), Alzheimer disease (AD, 23%), progressive supranuclear palsy (13%), and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) with TDP inclusions (13%). CBS was associated with perirolandic atrophy irrespective of underlying pathology. In CBS due to FTLD (tau or TDP), atrophy extended into prefrontal cortex, striatum, and brainstem, whereas in CBS due to AD, atrophy extended into temporoparietal cortex and precuneus (p < 0.001 uncorrected).

INTERPRETATION

Frontal lobe involvement is characteristic of CBD, and in many patients frontal, not parietal or basal ganglia, symptoms dominate early stage disease. CBS is driven by medial perirolandic dysfunction, but this anatomy is not specific to a single underlying histopathology. Antemortem prediction of CBD will remain challenging until clinical features of CBD are redefined, and sensitive, specific biomarkers are identified.

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the probability of successful sterilization after an hysteroscopic or laparoscopic sterilization procedure.

METHODS

An evidence-based clinical decision analysis using a Markov model was performed to estimate the probability of a successful sterilization procedure using laparoscopic sterilization, hysteroscopic sterilization in the operating room, and hysteroscopic sterilization in the office. Procedure and follow-up testing probabilities for the model were estimated from published sources.

RESULTS

In the base case analysis, the proportion of women having a successful sterilization procedure on the first attempt is 99% for laparoscopic sterilization, 88% for hysteroscopic sterilization in the operating room, and 87% for hysteroscopic sterilization in the office. The probability of having a successful sterilization procedure within 1 year is 99% with laparoscopic sterilization, 95% for hysteroscopic sterilization in the operating room, and 94% for hysteroscopic sterilization in the office. These estimates for hysteroscopic success include approximately 6% of women who attempt hysteroscopically but are ultimately sterilized laparoscopically. Approximately 5% of women who have a failed hysteroscopic attempt decline further sterilization attempts.

CONCLUSION

Women choosing laparoscopic sterilization are more likely than those choosing hysteroscopic sterilization to have a successful sterilization procedure within 1 year. However, the risk of failed sterilization and subsequent pregnancy must be considered when choosing a method of sterilization.